Women chose less attractive wing-woman to help them snag men

London: Taking inspiration from men who have been known to use the help of 'wing men' to bag a date, women have also started enlisting the help of their female friends on a night out. It has been revealed that more than three quarters of British ladies now have a 'wing woman' for nights out to help keep them safe, break the ice and even escape from dud dates.

According to new research from drinks brand, Lambrini, the ideal candidate has to be funny, friendly but shockingly, not too good-looking.

More than half of those quizzed said they deliberately choose ugly friends to ensure that they get the pick of the fit men. While four out of ten want the help of a friend there to rate blokes and strike up conversations.

But when things go wrong, it's the wing woman's duty to come to the rescue. A secret SOS phrase between pulling partners was the most popular mode of escape from boring blokes (45 per cent) followed by pretending to go to the bathroom (29 per cent).

A further third admitted that they had asked their wing woman to send them a fake 'there's an emergency text' or communicated with hand signals when they wanted to get away from a less than scintillating suitor.

But things don't always go as planned, and one in seven of the women admitted to have been caught using secret codes to get out of boring dates.

"Everyone knows that the modern dating scene can be an absolute minefield and we all need a little support if we're going to find our Prince Charming," the Daily Mail quoted Lambrini spokesperson, Lorna Tweed, as saying about the findings.

"Men have been boasting about their wing men for years, now women have realised it's a great idea too."It's nice to see women sticking together and helping each other out. Not only does it make dates safer but makes it easier to escape if things aren't working out," she added.